Tales of the Avatar
by Rose Eclipse
Summary: Stories that occured between the times of the Avatar that few have heard or seen. Chapter two: the Tale of Kyoshi.
1. The Tale of Kana

_Avatar: the Last Airbender_ is a production of Nickelodeon Studios

**Chapter One: The Tale of Kana**

_Sixty years ago..._

"I'm not interested," Kana huffed firmly. She pulled the shirt she was washing out of the river and began to squeeze it dry.

"Be reasonable," he mother chided her. "Most of our girls marry when they turn sixteen. But you'll be eighteen years old in a few months and still without a husband."

"How horrible," Kana smirked to herself. She helped her mother dry out the rest of the clothes before packing them into their wicker baskets. Laundry day usually passed quickly for Kana because her best friend Yagoda would go down to the river with her to catch up on the latest gossip. But this time the work was a dull drudgery that dragged on when her mother insisted upon discussing marriage with Kana.

"Consider the attention that Pakku has shown you. Not many gifted waterbenders like him would take a liking to.."

"To what? An old maid like me?" Kana retorted. "Mother, you make it sound like I'm a bottle of lamb-goat's milk. I'll get 'spoiled' overnight."

"If you reach 20, it will be nearly impossible to have you married off," her mother warned her. "Just spend one evening with him. For my sake, dear Kana."

Kana rolled her eyes in disgust. "Fine. But only one evening, that's all. If I don't like it, I don't want to see him again."

A-A-A

Dressed in her second best tunic, Kana waited impatiently near the outside of the palace fountain. The night air was slightly chilly but not unbearable. Her mother had insisted that she take her white wolf shawl to wrap around her shoulders not just to keep warm, but because it enhanced Kana's delicate features with its exquisite fur.

"Good evening, Kana."

Her azure eyes scanned the courtyard for the owner of the voice. She turned around to see someone stepping out from behind the ice pillars adorning the gates. Pakku was a tall slender young man with jet-black hair that fell gracefully to his shoulders. His eyes were cool and gray like the inner part of the sky on a winter's snowy day.

"You look lovely tonight," he complimented her. Kana bowed politely in return. Pakku extended a hand out and they began to walk down the streets. Only the sound of their boots crunching on fresh snow broke the silence between them.

"Your mother tells me that you are very good with children," he said at last. "That's good. Children are important in a family."

"I'd rather tell you myself than have you rely all your information on my mother," Kana cautioned him. "Next time I'll send _her_ on a date in my place."

A small smile touched the corners of Pakku's mouth. "So you'll consider another date with me?"

"I didn't say that."

"You said 'next time', Kana."

She bit her tongue and vowed not to make another foolish mistake.

"Do you like waterbending?" she asked him. Pakku stopped in his tracks causing Kana to listen closer to him.

"It is my life's work," he said in a cool solemn voice. "When I waterbend I feel the courage of the rivers rushing through my veins. No iceberg will stand in the way of where I seek to fight."

Pakku extended a hand out towards the river rushing past them. In a fluid gesture, he channeled a stream of water up and out before bending it to his will. The water swirled with poise around the two of them in a ribbon-like dance while he talked.

"The spirits of the ocean and the moon are my brother and sister when I waterbend. I do not 'like', so to speak, but I love the gift of waterbending if that is what you want to know."

She held her breath in awe. Pakku noticed the captive sparkle in Kana's eyes. To please her, he concentrated harder on the stream of water, bending it into the shape of a delicate jade blossom. Pakku parted his lips and blew softly, commanding the water to harden into ice under his breath. In a moment, he had created a beautiful ice flower as magnificent as a carved diamond.

Pakku handed the frozen gift to Kana. She accepted it, being careful not to snap the stem off between her fingers.

"You really are a marvel," she admitted at last. When she gazed into his eyes, Kana felt herself begin to smile. Pakku rested a hand on her shoulder gently.

"I think that you would make a good wife to me," he said at last.

The smile faded from Kana's face. Noticing her lack of enthusiasm, Pakku released his grip on her and turned away.

"You despise me," he sighed wearily.

"Oh no, it's not that at all. I do like you, Pakku," she said quickly. "I just don't know if I'm ready to be your wife, that's all. I need more time to think."

He whirled on her, his temper suddenly rising with the tide.

"Time? Who needs time anymore?" Pakku demanded. "The Fire Nation's wrath has been burning for over forty years now. Sozin's army grows stronger each month and all you can think about is time? Our tribes need noble strong warriors to drive those evil firebenders back to where they came from. Time is not needed, Kana. What we need it courage."

The bitter words stung Kana like an icicle driven straight into her stomach. She saw Pakku take a step back to her side.

"Forgive me, Kana. I have upset your delicate nature," he apologized. He reached with one hand and gently stroked her cheek.

"I'm not delicate. And I'm not afraid either," she defended herself. Kana thought to push him away but he continued to caress the side of her face. She closed her eyes and savored the soft touch of his hands against her skin that made her shiver with pleasure. His fingers were long and tapering, the perfect features of a waterbender.

"All I want is for you to respect me and my wishes, Pakku," she pleaded softly.

Pakku cupped her cheek and lowered his head towards her. "And what exactly are your wishes, pretty Kana?" he asked. His soft breath caused strands of dark hair to tickle her chin. Kana was finding it harder to resist him with each passing second.

"I don't know," she murmured at last.

"I know what my wish is," Pakku replied. He kissed her gently on the mouth but to Kana, his kiss was cool and emotionless as marble on her lips.

A-A-A

A few strained weeks passed. Kana went through the motions as were accustomed to young ladies that were being courted but she still felt uncertain inside. Pakku was gracious as ever to her, taking her on private trips in his boat all over the city and giving her small carvings made out of ivory and lavender stone. She knew that he was the envious bachelor that many girls had been fawning longingly over.

He was young, handsome, talented, and charismatic. Why couldn't she accept him?

Kana would lie awake in her bed at night and gaze up at the sky that spread a million stars out like a jeweled canopy. She'd try to imagine spending her life beside Pakku and the thought made her shudder. He was a good man but he was not the one she could live with because he just didn't understand: _Kana did not love him._

One night she lugging a kettle of lobster stew back home when the front door swung open. "Congratulations!" Yagoda laughed, running down the steps towards her best friend. She wrapped her slender arms around Kana's neck and hugged her. Kana returned the gesture curiously.

"Thank you, but what's to congratulate me?"

Yagoda broke off the embrace and held her friend at arm's length.

"You're engaged!" she exclaimed. "I heard your father accepted Pakku's offer just this afternoon."

A horrible shock came over her. Engaged! And without her consent! Even though arranged marriages were common in their tribe, couldn't she have had the choice to be asked in person? Kana swore she was being pulled under water, suffocating with the chilling realization that her fate was being swept away by her father's command.

"Kana? What is it? You look so pale," Yagoda asked her. Kana cleared her throat and tried to keep a straight face.

"It's nothing, Yagoda. I'm glad you told me."

Yagoda seized Kana's hand eagerly. "You must be thrilled. We spent the whole afternoon just preparing for the party. Pakku is already here and he's got your engagement present!" she gushed ecstatically. She pulled Kana into the small but cozy space of her house.

Local neighbors had come to congratulate her on the special news. Kana found herself swept up in a shuffle of people who continued to shower their blessings upon the lucky girl. She was hugged and kissed by her parents and brother before being led to a chair where the girl was to receive a token of commitment from her betrothed.

Pakku came forward from the throng of people as if he was parting a river. The steady gaze in his eyes and his velvety smile almost calmed her nerves. She watched him walk up to her and spread his fingers apart revealing a slender dark blue ribbon.

Kana had to admit that the engagement necklace was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen. It was round and smooth as a dove shell and the softest shade of blue like the inner part of the sky on a warm summer's day. The necklace had been carved with simplicity but elegance into the symbol of the water tribe: a swirl of clouds above azure waves.

"As the moon and ocean are bound together in balance, you and I are bound as one," Pakku announced aloud.

He laced the necklace around her slim throat, his fingers brushing against her skin and it made her tingle. She carefully touched the pendant that was held at the center with a gold clasp. Everyone burst into cheers of delight and applauded the couple while Kana became silent, wondering how on earth these sudden changes could be happening to her.

A-A-A

Kana controlled herself throughout the evening. Friends and family passed before her and Pakku to wish them congratulations upon their engagement. Kana forced herself to smile graciously at them until everyone believed that she was the luckiest girl in the North Pole to be marrying such a fine young man.

Inside she was screaming.

Once the party was over and everyone had gone home, Kana threw herself onto her bed and sobbed into her pillow. Thick steaming hot angry tears streaked down her face and stained the fuzzy gray fur of her blanket. She beat her fist down again and again with frustration. It just wasn't fair! She didn't love Pakku, she never would. But by the end of the month she would be forced to become his bride.

Wasn't there anything she could do?

She could throw herself off a cliff. Kana thought about the choice for a moment before discarding it. As miserable as she felt, she did not wish to die. She wanted to live more than anything else in the world. Live somewhere free and safe from the stringent rules of their culture.

There was only one other possibility.

_Run away._

But that was just as foolish as committing suicide. She was an innocent simple girl of the Water Tribe girl and there could be no end to the horrors that could lie in store for her. Tales of slavery, torture, rape, and murder had seeped in from the stories of the soldiers who returned home. They cautioned their families never to do anything other than kill the first firebender that crossed their path. The Fire Nation was a race of evil, corrupt, and savage people. They would show no mercy to civilians.

But which was worse: facing the dangers of the world or spending her life in Pakka's icy cage?

Kana rolled off her bed and wiped her eyes dry. There was no more time to weep. She had to take action and move quickly before the last few shards of freedom melted away between her fingers.

She folded up her blanket and stuffed it into a drawstring bag. Then she began packing some of her clothes and belongings. One of the most valuable items was an earthenware jug filled to the brim with her mother's herbal remedies. The humble plants that grew in the tundra possessed amazing nutrients that could cure virtually any disease. Kana took some dried seal jerky, a flask of water, and her brother's dagger. She slipped her feet into her boots and put on her parka. Her fingertips brushed against the base of her neck and the engagement necklace when she adjusted the fur collar. Kana ripped it off as if she was removing a shackle.

She wanted to hurl the necklace out the window with all of her strength but she hesitated, turning the ornament over with her fingers while she thought. It didn't seem right to take his necklace. But if she left it behind then Pakku would assume that she had been kidnapped or killed. No note, no messages could explain her actions. It was better if she kept the necklace with her. Kana replaced it around her throat and left the house.

Using a spare kayak on the bay's edge, Kana began to paddle away into the dark waters of the night. Her breath crystallized into soft puffs of smoke before vanishing into the winter air. She glanced over her shoulder, just to glance back at her home for the very last time. The moon glowed above the towers of the North Pole and cast silvery shadows onto the city like mystic spirits. There were no sounds save that of the rush of the river that flowed through the city in an endless murmuring chant that lulled the children of the Water Tribe to sleep with its mystic lullaby.

A tight throb chocked up Kana's throat but she refused to cry out anymore.

"Goodbye," she whispered softly.

The kayak disappeared into the inky darkness while cool waves lapped softly in the ocean.

A-A-A

"_Frozen tears of love_

_She weeps yet wipes them away_

_Melting thoughts slide off"_

-Haiku of the Waterbender

A-A-A

_**Five weeks later:**_

"Get out!!" the farmer roared. He poked Kana with the end of his pitchfork. She quickly scrambled to her feet but almost slipped back onto the haystack that she had been sleeping on.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know this was your barn," she apologized. "I was just tired and.."

"This isn't an inn! Get off my property while you can still walk!" he barked at her.

"Please don't send me away. I'm a hard worker and I'll do chores for food," she pleaded desperately. Kana's stomach was gnawing in pain after almost two days of nothing to eat. She'd willingly take on any task if it meant getting breakfast.

The farmer's dark eyebrows turned down in disapproval. "I don't need refugees on my farm. Now leave before I send the leopard-dogs after you!! OUT!!"

This was enough for Kana. She snatched her bag and ran out of the barn as fast as her legs could carry her. Soon her constant footsteps began to slow down until she was dragging herself by her feet. Kana's breath had become ragged and uneven. A lack of proper food and sleep was making her more exhausted with every passing minute.

Time alone had proven to be difficult for Kana. She had quickly run out of money and was now forced to scrape for anything she could find to get by. She even sold her brother's dagger for some potatoes and secretly hoped that he would forgive her for such a treacherous action. Kana slept in alleyways, under bridges, in the shade of trees, and anywhere that she could find shelter from wild animals or people. It was much harder in the rain too, especially when those seemingly safe caves were really the homes of mole-badgers or vulture-insects.

Kana had been stung, kicked, pinched, and attacked. Her tunic had become worn and threadbare and her formerly smooth braid was now a tangled mess of hair. She was without any friends and hadn't a single guess as to where she was after wandering all over the Earth Kingdom. She would have broken down into tears of defeat and tried to make her way back home but whenever that thought crossed her mind, Kana remembered Pakku. She still wore his necklace and vowed never to take it off lest she forget why she had run away in the first place.

The sound of trickling water beckoned Kana to take a few more steps. She finally collapsed near the creek in an exhausted heap. Too tired to even fill her jug, Kana leaned over and put her mouth directly into the creek to gulp down some cold water. A few mouthfuls quenched her thirst but did little to ease her troubled mind.

"Spirit of the ocean, I beg of you to aid me in my time of need. Please guide me towards a safe place," she prayed silently. Kana rolled over on the grass and fell into a troubled sleep.

An hour passed. The birds chirped in the trees. Wind rustled in branches. Dried leaves blew along the dusty road.

_Brum-da-da-dum. Dum. Dum. Da-da-doum._

Something was pounding against the ground.

_Dum. Dum. Da-da-brom_

Kana's eyes snapped open. What was that noise? It sounded like...like a drum.

She carefully rose to her feet and followed the vibrating sound further into the woods. Kana crept up to the bushes and parted them just enough to see what the drumming sound was coming from. Blue eyes grew wide with shock when she saw the men in red and black uniforms encamped in the forest. Some were laughing among themselves while others were practicing with their swords. Two were pounding on leather skin drums for music, no doubt being the cause of all the noise. The symbol of a black flame against a red background fluttered proudly from the flag on the mast above their tents.

Firebenders!!

Kana covered her mouth to keep from making a single sound. She lifted a branch back up and cautiously kept her head down low to avoid being seen.

"What have we here?" a malicious voice sniggered from behind her. Kana was grabbed by one wrist and lifted up from her hiding position. A heavyset soldier looked her up and down like a caught squirrel.

He peered closer at Kana and she almost gagged from his foul breath. He must have been drinking recently. "What are you doing here?" he asked her.

"Nothing!" she insisted.

Yellowed teeth parted into a vicious smile. "That's a pity. We're bored marching out in the woods for weeks and my men and I are miss having a woman around," he drawled.

"Let me go!" she shouted, kicking the air as hard as she could with her legs.

"And miss all the fun?" he chuckled. Kana shuddered when he licked his lips together greedily.

"Yazu!" a voice barked. "What are you doing?"

A second soldier had come out of camp and was marching towards them. Kana's wrist was released from the first one's thick grip and she was sent sprawling back to the ground.

"Sir, I found this peasant hiding in the forest. I think she's a spy from Omashu." When Kana didn't move, he lost his cool and kicked her on the back with his boots.

"Bow before Admiral Wuhan, you insolent girl!" he roared.

Kana did as she was told and dropped to both knees. She could feel her heart thundering from inside of her chest and her fists gripped handfuls of cool grass from the ground to contain her fear.

The man standing before her stroked his beard in thought. "A spy? Confound it, Yazu. Can't you see by her clothing? She's a civilian, that's for certain."

His voice was sharp but civil and firm. He folded his arms across his chest and glanced down at Kana with flickering amber eyes.

"What were you doing here?" he demanded.

"I, I was traveling," she stuttered weakly.

"Where are you from?"

"North," she replied.

A strange look crawled through his eyes. "Do you mean to say that you are from the Water Tribe?"

"Y-yes," she stammered. Fear and a lack of sleep were clouding her senses. What did he care about where she was from?

Admiral Wuhan suddenly knelt in front of Kana, his face up against hers with careful scrutiny. "Tell me, young lady—are you one of the great healers from the North Pole that I have heard about?"

She hesitated before speaking again. "I'm not a waterbender. But all of the women in our tribe were taught with herbal remedies and to cure injuries..."

"Stop babbling, woman!" Yazu barked.

Wuhan just grabbed Kana by the shoulders and pulled her to her feet. There was a look of distressed urgency on his face. "One of our best men has Pendipox. Do you know of this disease?"

"Yes. But what do you want with me?"

His face had hardened into a solemn expression.

"I want you to use your abilities to heal this man. You will not be harmed among my soldiers if you obey my orders. But if he dies, so do you."

They'd kill her if she failed! But it was not as if she had much of a choice left. Kana nodded her head woodenly. Suppressing her exhaustion and forcing herself to take courage, Kana was able to follow the admiral back into his camp. The men stopped what they were doing when they saw the small blue-clad woman appear from the woods and walk directly past their tents. Her tanned skin, deep blue eyes, and dark brown hair were such a stark contrast to their pale complexions and features. She could feel their eyes all starring up and down her body but she managed to keep her head up and her knees from trembling. Former fear was now replaced with a new sense of determination to achieve whatever the enemy wanted inside of his territory.

Admiral Wuhan pulled back the flap of a tent and motioned for her to come inside. Her eyes adjusted to the dimmed light of a lamp before falling upon the young man on the cot. He couldn't have been any older than herself, barely twenty or twenty-one at the most, and with black hair all pulled back into a topknot.

Kana recognized the symptoms at once. The man's face was flushed an ill shade of crimson. Dark brown spots peppered his forehead and neck. His breathing was low and shallow as if his lungs were clogged up with mud. Kana knelt beside him and put a hand on his forehead. It was scorching hot.

"I need some water heated up," she told the two men standing in the doorway. One of the soldiers nodded and waved a hand at a pile of twigs in the corner of the tent. Flames burst from his palm and started to heat up a pot above the roaring fire. Kana watched with spellbound fascination, having never seen anyone create fire from thin air before. The firebenders may have seemed dreadful but they certainly possessed amazing powers.

Kana rummaged around in her belongings. The dried wintermint leaves had taken a beating from her travels but nevertheless; five long green stalks remained intact. When she crushed them up and dropped them into a cup of water, a cool refreshing scent stole through the tent. Kana was overwhelmed with a longing ache for her home in the North Pole.

She brought the cup to his mouth but he couldn't drink it. Kana picked up a spoon and managed to help the soldier swallow a few drops of the concoction at a time.

"I will be back at dawn to see if he has recovered," Admiral Wuhan informed Kana. Then he left the tent.

The moments crept by tensely. Kana continued to spoon drops into the soldier's mouth, always stopping once in a while to bath his face with a cool rag. The fire in the corner snapped and crackled while it slowly began to die down into a heap of warm coals. Kana's eyelids were feeling heavy. Her arms were numb with fatigue. She desperately wanted to rest but didn't dare leave the patient alone.

A deep moan broke Kana out of her daze. The soldier stirred on his cot and his eyes opened just enough for her to see a flicker of golden light under his eyelids. He turned his head so that his attention was now on her.

"Are you...a moon spirit?" his voice cracked.

"No. My name is Kana. I'm here to help you," she told him.

"W...Water Tribe?"

"Yes."

"Kana," he repeated. A weak smile broke out on his face. "Thank you."

She was startled by the softness of his voice and the gentleness of his words.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Jeong Jeong," he mumbled hoarsely. His eyes closed and he fell back asleep.

A-A-A

Kana had been watching Jeong Jeong all night but eventually her own strength wore out and she also dozed off. When she woke up, flecks of dust danced in the sunlight that streamed in from the curtains of the tent. Kana rubbed the sleep from her eyes and gazed out at the bright sunshine.

She was surprised at how comfortably warm she was. Kana noticed a bright red cloak had been draped over her body and tucked around her shoulders. Where these men truly capable of performing such an act of kindness?

Jeong Jeong was sitting up on his cot and drinking more of the wintermint medicine. "I thought you might be cold," he said. He put down his cup and carefully rose to his feet.

"You shouldn't be up yet," she protested.

"I'm much better now, thanks to you." Jeong Jeong put a tray in front of her. "Please eat something. You must be hungry." She looked down at the strange foods in red porcelain bowls and then back up at Jeong Jeong skeptically. He raised his hands up in a gesture of surrender.

"I assure you, it hasn't been poisoned," he assured her.

Kana was famished. She picked up the bowl of rice and began shoveling it into her mouth with chopsticks. The other foods were too foreign for her to know what she was eating exactly but she didn't care. She shoveled some brown flakes into her mouth and felt the crisp crunch on the back of her teeth. Suddenly, she cried out and began to fan her tongue madly. A sharp pang of heat had leaped from the back of her mouth to her burning lips.

"Ouch! Hot! Hot!" she yelled.

Jeong Jeong looked on with a slight twinkle in his eye. "I take it you've never tasted fire flakes before," he chuckled.

"No," she mumbled, trying to stop the burning taste.

"You're supposed to put just a little on your tongue at a time. Or eat them with the dumplings," he offered her.

The dumplings were stuffed fat with duck and just enough of the fire flakes brought out the tender taste of robust meat. Kana thought it was much better than living off seal jerky. The tea was absolutely the most delicious beverage that she had ever tasted. Jasmine had a sweet fragrance and smooth taste that was refreshing as it slid down Kana's throat. She drank two cups of it while Jeong Jeong asked her questions.

"Why are you traveling on your own?"

"Because I chose to," Kana answered between gulps of tea.

"Do you have family in the Earth Kingdom?"

"No."

"Do you have a job?"

"No."

"Do you know where you are going?"

"No."

"Did you run away from home?"

Kana felt her face heating up with shame.

"Yes," she finally admitted. "I know it was foolish of me but I didn't have any other choice."

Jeong Jeong didn't laugh at her. He held his chin with his thumb and index finger while he studied Kana's face. "If your reasons to run away were important to you then they could hardly be foolish. Why did you leave?"

Something about his honest words made her feel better. Kana felt that she could trust this soldier for the time being. "I was engaged to someone I didn't love. I didn't want to marry him so I left."

Jeong Jeong raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "Has anybody else ever protested about arranged marriages before in the Water Tribe?"

Kana shrugged. "Not really. I guess I'm the first pioneer," she smiled dryly.

"All pioneers are brave people," Jeong Jeong informed her. "They do new things, things that seem strange and frightening to others. But courage comes from taking risks that one would hardly ever do just like warriors in battle."

"But I'm not a warrior," Kana protested.

"You're still brave, Kana of the Water Tribe." Jeong Jeong sighed wearily. "I wish I had your courage."

Kana was shocked. "Me? Courageous? No, I just couldn't stand wanting to live the way of my people any longer. I wanted a life of my own."

Jeong Jeong averted his stare away from her. His voice had become much lower as if he didn't want to be overheard. "Some days I also wonder about a life of my own as well, one away from the other Fire Nation soldiers. I question my own power and authority. Admiral Wuhan believes I have the makings of a great teacher within me, but I don't see things the way he does."

"You're doing your duty. That takes courage too," Kana dared to admit.

She noticed the glint of amber in his eyes that sparked with wisdom from a man with so many more years of experience than he seemed. She edged closer so she could hear him speak in a hushed whisper.

"I don't see firebending as a gift. To me, it is a forced obligation to those that have its power. I wish I could be set free of such responsibilities."

"If you don't want to be here, then you should just leave," she insisted.

Jeong Jeong shook his head. "It's not as easy as that, Kana. Abandonment in the Fire Nation army is a disgrace of the highest order and punishable by death."

Her fingers trembled as they held the teacup. "Do you mean if you ran away, they'd kill you?" she said softly.

He nodded. "That is why I admire you, Kana. Perhaps your family would be angry or hurt from your actions but you managed to flee and survive. If only I had strength like yours to endure the world..."

"Jeong Jeong!"

Kana got up quickly when she saw Admiral Wuhan march into the tent. She and Jeong Jeong bowed in respect to him. The admiral scrutinized his soldier carefully.

"You look much healthier than yesterday, Jeong Jeong. It's fortunate that you are one of our best fighters."

"It was fortunate that our leading officer found Kana yesterday. She saved my life," Jeong Jeong replied modestly.

"If you say so," Wuhan retorted. "By the end of the week I want you in top shape to train the new recruits. We'll be marching into Geng-Tsu by the end of the month."

"Yes, sir."

"Take no prisoners this time, Jeong Jeong. The townspeople can't be left alive to give Ba Sing Se any of our battle strategies."

A strained look crossed Jeong Jeong's face. "With all due respect Admiral, won't you at least consider sparing the civilians for the mines?"

"Don't start that up again, Jeong Jeong," Wuhan cautioned heatedly. "You know we have no need for such sympathetic gestures when we are this close to victory. I don't want to hear another word in protest from you. Is that clear?"

Kana watched Jeong Jeong clench his fists but he nodded his head obediently. "As for Kana?"

Admiral Wuhan waved a hand carelessly. "The girl is no concern of ours anymore. She has served her purpose and is free to go at dawn." He stalked out of the tent leaving Kana alone Jeong Jeong. She noticed the soldier's face was darkened with silent wrath and something dangerous smoldered in his golden eyes.

A-A-A

_Later that night:_

A cupped hand came over Kana's mouth, waking her up from sleep. Her head was turned towards Jeong Jeong who put a finger to his lips. He let go of Kana and motioned for her to follow him to a corner of the tent.

"I heard some of the soldiers talking," he whispered. "General Wuhan wants to send you on your way tomorrow but Yazu and his men intend to follow you."

"Follow me for what?"

"What do you think, Kana? For whatever purpose they see fit."

Now she knew what their intentions were. Kana continued to fumble in the dark for her boots but Jeong Jeong thrust a bundle of clothes into her hands.

"Put these on. I'll get you out of the camp."

Kana squinted to see Jeong Jeong's outline in front of her. "Can't you light a fire?" she asked.

"Shhh!" he hushed her. "We shouldn't be seen or heard. It's too risky."

Kana understood his order. She quickly changed into the dark red uniform that hung loose on her slim frame but managed to tighten it with a sash. She struggled a little with the armor, not be accustomed to such heavy metal plates, but Jeong Jeong helped her to adjust the shoulder protectors and shin guards until they fit much better.

"I'm afraid I might clunk around in this," she whispered frantically.

"Don't worry. Just take long even steps and keep your head up. You're a solider now, not a peasant. Don't be afraid to look people in the eye."

Kana wound her braid into a tight bun before Jeong Jeong put a metal helmet over her head. He gave her long boots with steel tips for her feet and a spear to hold. Then he ushered Kana to follow him out of the tent and towards the end of the camp.

Most of the other soldiers had retired for the night or were talking leisurely around campfires. Kana pulled down on the visor of her helmet and turned her head the other way in case they might catch a glimpse of the blue-eyed youth wearing one of their uniforms.

The two of them had come up to the entrance of the camp where a single guard was leaning against his staff, snoring softly. He jerked awake with a snort when he heard the sound of boots against the ground.

"Captain Jeong Jeong! The guard stiffened up. "Shouldn't you be resting?"

"I'm feeling much better now, thanks friend."

"Where on earth are you going this late at night?"

Jeong Jeong put both of his hands on Kana's shoulders. "This young man is Lieutenant Zuko. He's been given information about our defenses near Geng-Tsu that must arrive at the village as soon as possible."

"He has? In that case, I'll escort the lad myself," the guard offered.

"No. I've been given personal orders to make sure that Zuko gets to his destination safely," Jeong Jeong insisted firmly. "Don't bother waking the admiral up for this. We'll both be back in the morning."

The guard bowed to Jeong Jeong and allowed the two of them to pass by. Once they had left the blazing lights of the Fire Nation camp, Jeong Jeong broke out into a steady run. Kana followed behind but her boots were so big that she had to stop and pull them off. The spear was also quickly discarded into a bush. Barefoot and unarmed now, she scampered quickly through the trees and jumped over dead logs in her path.

Jeong Jeong finally came to a halt near a rushing river.

"There," he declared, pointing to the other side of the bank. "Once you follow this river, it should take you safely away from here. I may have seen a few Water Tribe boats going down it before."

"What about the uniform?"

"It'll slow you down. Throw it into the river," he ordered her. "If you don't find any of your people than head west towards Omashu. They'll be good enough to give you a restful night should you need it."

"What about you? Aren't you coming?"

Jeong Jeong shook his head. "I must get back to my camp."

Kana felt a prick of tension when she realized that Jeong Jeong had risked himself that night. He'd have to explain himself in the morning and continue with the merciless slaughter that he was hesitant to carry out. When he turned to go, she reached out and grabbed his arm.

"You don't have to take orders from other people, Jeong Jeong. You said you wanted to be free of your responsibilities," Kana reminded him. "Now's your change to run away too!"

Jeong Jeong shrugged off her grasp. He remained aloof as a pillar of ice.

"I can't," he said at last.

"But.."

"I want to more than anything else in the world, but I won't do it."

Kana's fingers curled around the center of her necklace, her thumb brushing over the carving of the ocean. She could feel tears of pity starting to brim up in her eyes. "That's not being fair to yourself, Jeong Jeong," she protested.

"Even if I abandoned my regiment, where would I go? The rest of the world has little sympathy for firebenders. Now is not the time for me to desert my people."

Jeong Jeong clasped his hands together and bowed in respect to Kana. "You saved my life, noble woman of the Water Tribe. Let me know that the favor has been returned by living your own life as you see fit."

Kana took a deep breath to calm herself down. "All right. But you have to promise me that someday you'll do the same for yourself."

Another kind smile graced his features.

"I'll do my best," the Fire Nation soldier promised her.

A-A-A-A

That was the last Kana ever saw of Jeong Jeong. Once she came to a bend in the river, she took his advice and shed the metal armor. She managed to trade the crimson cloth for a simple green dress that was the typical garb of Earth Kingdom girls.

Kana's next stop was Omashu where she got work in a pottery shop for a few weeks. When Kana had enough of sticking her hands into squishy hot mud, she took her savings and went further west. There she bought a ferry ticket until she came to a market brimming with buyers from all corners of the world.

There she met Shula.

"Kana, I'm just a boat craftsman from the South. It's not a grand place at all—no palaces, no big rivers, and no solace festivals," he insisted. Kana leaned over the edge of the smooth sleek sailing ship they were traveling on and felt the gentle bobbing of the water rocking the boat.

"Are you saying you don't want me to go with you?" she teased lightly.

Shula's eyes widened with awe. "I'd be honored if you came back to my home, Kana. But I don't want to make you do something that you will regret."

"I won't regret this," she promised him.

Two months later, they were married in the South Pole. The wedding was a small and simple one but Kana was more than happy. They didn't even know that such a custom of engagement necklaces existed so Shula didn't have to fret about carving one at all.

Her life, be as quiet as it was in the South Pole, was a peaceful one with the person she respected, admired, and loved. It was all that Kana had been looking for. After her wedding, Kana took off the necklace and put it into a wooden chest that Shula had made for her.

She had no need to wear it any longer.

_**Fourteen years ago:**_

"Agh! Ah!" the woman shrieked. She lay on the animal skins and continued to do as Kana instructed her. Deep heavy gasps emulated from her lips as she continued to push. Her head was reeling but she could hear her mother's voice guiding her along.

There was a shuffling sound from the center of the igloo followed by the healthy cry of a baby.

Kana gripped the hands of her daughter firmly. "You did very well, my child."

"It's a girl!" the midwife called out. She helped Kana clean off the newborn before she was swathed in a snowy white blanket and handed to her mother. Kana's daughter cradled the baby lovingly in her arms.

Kana stepped outside of the igloo just in time to see her son-in-law Hakoda pacing tensely while her tiny grandson jumped from one foot to another in delight.

"Is it here? Is it here?" he asked excitedly.

She laughed aloud. "Yes, Sokka. Your mother has just given birth to a beautiful little girl."

"A girl! Yes! Yes! I'm a big brother now!" he cheered. Sokka punched the air with a fist of triumph. "Dad, isn't it great?"

"It's the most wonderful news in the world," he declared. Kana smiled and ushered them into the igloo. Hakoda leaned over the bed and tenderly kissed his wife on the forehead.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm all right."

"How's the baby?"

"Lemme see! Lemme see!" their son begged them.

"Sokka, my little warrior," his mother laughed softly. Hakoda picked up his son so that Sokka could get a better look at the bundle his mother was holding.

"Is this my sister? She looks kind of...squishy."

It was Hakoda's turn to laugh. "That's what all babies look like when they are born. So did you."

Sokka gently fingered the baby's tiny hands. She had wisps of dark hair that swept across the top of her head and long black eyelashes that left half-moon shadows on her cheeks. "She's wonderful," he whispered.

Kana bent over her granddaughter's sleeping form and studied her face with careful scrutiny. Her grace and beauty may have diminished over the years but not her eyesight.

"This girl has been encompassed with the spirit of the moon," she said aloud. "I can feel it flowing around her like a steady river."

"What do you mean, Gran Gran?"

Kana stood up before the two of them. "This girl is a waterbender."

Hakoda's mouth fell open. "Are you sure?"

"I am positive."

"Then we have been doubly blessed by the moon," he wife declared.

"What's a waterbender?" Sokka asked. While his mother and father tried to explain the gift that graced fellow members of the Water Tribe, Kana looked back down upon her granddaughter and she could already feel the tender bond linking her life with the baby's own. A swirl of emotions rose up inside Kana's heart. Perhaps the girl would one day come to be like her grandmother.

"What should we call her?" the mother asked.

"I like 'Mina'," Sokka suggested.

"That's a pretty name," Hakoda said. "But in honor of my mother-in-law and her wisdom, I must ask you to give the baby a name you see fit."

Kana knew she was fortunate enough to have such a selfless son-in-law. He had certainly proved himself to be a good husband and father as well. The four members of her family waited for Kana's approval while she thought of an appropriate name.

The baby opened her eyes revealing the finest clearest shade of sky blue that Kana had ever seen. The child looked up at the people around her with loving-kindness shining from their eyes. She gurgled for a moment and then the tiniest sweetest laugh coming from her throat.

"Katara," she declared.

"Katara," her daughter repeated. "It's the perfect name for her."

Sokka bent over and kissed the baby's soft cheek. "Hello, Katara. I'm your big brother Sokka. I'm gonna take good care of you from now on."

The family, along with Kana, drew themselves into a complete circle of hugs that was full and safe as the silvery moon that glowed in the sky peacefully above their village.

_So ends the Tale of Kana of the North Pole and the birth of her granddaughter. Katara of the Southern Water Tribe grew up to become a master waterbender who taught Avatar Aang, the last air nomad who saved the North Pole from Fire Lord Ozai's army._

_This ends the Scroll of Southern Stories as was recorded down by Bi Tong, the scribe of Ba Sing Se, and archived in the library of Guhan. _


	2. The Tale of Kyoshi

"_Sweet grass, drifting scent_

_Fresh soil slides through deft fingers_

_Rise at dawn to plant."_

-Haiku of the Earthbender

**Chapter Two: The Tale of Kyoshi**

She ran and laughed, slamming her feet into the ground and kicking up jagged clumps of earth. The other boys and girls in the village couldn't keep up with her so she slowed down just enough to let them jump over the mounds of dirt. Two boys thrust their hands out towards each other, causing a jagged point of stone to rise and smack the ball up ten feet into the air. The girl slapped it back towards the ground with one of her mighty hands.

"Give it here! Give it here!" Bukko begged her.

"Not a chance," the girl grinned. She stamped the ground and sent the ball flying towards Rushi. He picked it up and began running. Tiko and Nana both came to a screeching halt, nearly colliding into Rushi from the sudden rush of energy in the air.

"No fair!" Bukko shouted.

"We've got to give everyone a chance, right?" Kyoshi winked one of her shining gray eyes with mischief at him. She waved at Tiko who threw the ball in front of him and earthbended a clump of dirt to speed it up.

Nana caught the ball and started kicking it in the opposite direction; Kyoshi nodded to her just as the girl spun a double kick and with both feet, sent the ball into the other goal.

"Victory!" the children cheered. They jumped up and down and butted chests against each other before crashing down on the ground. Nine-year-old Nana ran up to her and hugged her friend. The six-foot tall teenager wrapped her hands around the girl's waist and swung her off the ground, making Nana shriek with delight.

"Around and around and around we go," Kyoshi said. After Nana was spun around in circles several times, she was finally placed back on her feet. She staggered to and fro from dizziness before landing on her backside. The children just fell around her in a big jumbled heap.

"That was the best game of earth kick-ball ever!!" Tiko thanked her.

"What better way to spend my birthday than playing with my friends?" she laughed aloud.

Kyoshi, to outsiders, was considered "a monstrous girl" and that was no exaggeration. She had just turned sixteen but was already towering at a height that rivaled even most of the brawny earthbenders across the kingdom. She was not heavy, just tall and stronger than almost everybody there yet kind and loving to everyone. They never had to worry about local bullies because Kyoshi simply had to show up and anyone causing mischief would turn and flee, even upon seeing her shadow.

The secret of her height remained a mystery to travelers who were curious to know about the girl who was mighty as a cedar tree. Some suggested she was born from the legendary giants that lived off in the Ta-Shug Mountains and cast off as a baby. Others believed she was not born, but hatched from a seed that was planted in the Spirit World that gave her amazing powers. Some went so far as to say an old guru put an enchantment on her when Kyoshi was still a newborn, saying that her bones would continue to grow until she reached the clouds.

In a culture so absorbed with praising women that were small and dainty, one would think Kyoshi would feel awkward and clumsy among her peers. But no rumors could dampen her spirits. She accepted her difference that distinguished it from her peers but never let it cripple her confidence. To Kyoshi, being six feet tall meant she could easily reach the apple-peaches in the trees for all of the children to enjoy in the springtime. As long as her friends were happy and safe, so was Kyoshi.

They all loved their position as the peninsula on the tip of the Earth Kingdom. Close to the sand, sea, and sky, Kyoshi felt that they had the best of all words at their fingertips. She and her friends spent hours running along the bayside for exercise or honing their earthbending abilities near the craggy rocks of caves.

Today had been an extremely special day. At dawn they had cleaned the temple until the floors shined from polished wood. Kyoshi was given a ceremony as befit most girls when they came of age, marking their passage into adulthood. She had spent two weeks weaving her birthday kimono, an important tradition known across the Earth Kingdom. It usually took most girls a week or ten days but Kyoshi required enough fabric to make her own clothes so it took longer. Also, she wanted sufficient time to assure that her garments were as handsome as possible.

When the day of her birthday came, many eyes looked upon Kyoshi's kimono with great admiration. It was the deepest, most brilliant shade of emerald-colored silk with an intricate pattern of flowers in golden thread winding in a diagonal slope down silver fabric in the shape of mountains. Kyoshi's skill with the loom was superb though she was modest about her work, never boasting or flaunting gaudy clothes before other people. She would only weave what was necessary for herself and others with the best of her abilities. She had generously helped the other girls weave their own gowns before to make them as beautiful as possible on their birthdays. Now it was her time to shine among them.

Clad in her striking green kimono and with her dark hair twisted into a graceful bun, Kyoshi was an amazing sight to see. Blessings were offered in the local shrine and Kyoshi was ordered to place her hands on the small jade elephant carving for good luck. She lit two sticks of fragrant incense and prostrated on the floor out of respect for their ancestors. Finally, Kyoshi was given a red candle with her name engraved on it. She set up nine pomegranates around the candle and set it aflame before extending her blessings to the rest of the people present.

After the ceremony, Kyoshi changed out of her fancy garb and into a simple brown tunic. It was time for the earthbending competition, a test that was held among the best students of the village to see how far their abilities had progressed during the year. The other children held their breaths with anxiety but Kyoshi passed with flying colors. The style of her stances and the movements in which she maneuvered the boulders with amazing speed and force could have been depending on her general strength but to the eyes of their teachers, there was grace and skill in her movements as well. Many times they caused rocks to seemingly fly out of nowhere and attack her, but Kyoshi deflected them all with lightning-fast skills.

Her friends surprised her with two gifts: a pearl hair ornament and the largest picnic basket they could buy in the market.

They had all enjoyed a hearty game of earth-kickball before running down the side of the hill and into the valley just where the peninsula crept into the Shugi borders. Everyone had fun, laughing until their sides ached while they rolled on the silken grass or picking flowers for their mothers. They ate spiced raisin cakes and drank sweet banana-orange nectar while the sun went down behind the mountains and painted the sky in shades of pink and purple.

Tiko threw a chicken bone over his shoulder. He leaned back until he had almost sunken into the tender spot of grass in the valley. "I wish today would never end," he replied drowsily.

"Maybe tomorrow can be Kyoshi's birthday too," Nana suggested. Everyone giggled in good amusement.

"You'd get bored if the same day lasted forever," Kyoshi wisely told them. "Tomorrow will be just as good a day as any as long as you make it your own destiny."

Suddenly, several adult figures were coming towards them just from over the hill. At once the lively outdoor party attendees rose to their feet and dusted off their clothing.

"Good evening, children," one of them said.

"Good evening Master Haru," they echoed obediently. His eyes swept over their tired but happy faces in mild approval before settling on the massive Kyoshi. Spare strands of hair fluttered around in an untidy bun and Kyoshi's skirt had grass stains on it but there was a fresh coloring in her cheeks from the lively game that made her look beautiful as a wildflower. She put on her most respectable face and bowed deeply to the rulers of their village, especially to Master Haru, who was her guardian.

"Kyoshi, we wish to see you in the temple tonight," he ordered her.

"Am I in any trouble?" she asked with a hint of concern in her voice.

"We request that you come alone." That was all he told her. Then he bowed and started to head back with the others. The children starred at each other in surprise.

"Ooooh," Rikku murmured not-so softly. "I hope everything's all right."

"Of course it's all right," Kyoshi assured him. "If there was a problem then they'd tell me right away. I'm sure it's just another birthday surprise or some kind of test."

Kyoshi took Nana up on her back and escorted all of the children back to their village, stopping at every house until each child was dropped off safe at home with his or her mother. Her strength never waned for even one moment during the long task.

Once at home, Kyoshi heated up a tub of water and bathed herself well. She scrubbed her skin until it was spotless clean and her smooth oval face had no traces of dirt left. Kyoshi was no weakling: she had long strong legs that were perfect for sprinting in races and playing earth-kickball and dodgeball. Her arms were also muscular—not overpowering like those of male earthbenders but with a different sleek strength. She brushed her hair until it was soft and smooth and then plaited it into a long braid.

Kyoshi wrapped herself in a gray gown and slid her feet into her shoes. Her shoes had to be made specially by a tailor in the next city over because none of the shoes in their town could fit her. They were bigger than most boots of Earth Kingdom soldiers and took up the width of a regular bed.

Kyoshi stepped out into the cool spring air and inhaled. The hour was dusk already and a wonderful scent from pine trees drifted by. Fireflies whirled madly in tiny circles around the lamps. She walked down the gravel path towards the meeting hall where the council members of their village gathered for public announcements. Kyoshi noticed the doors were already open so she stepped inside and shut them behind her.

Five people were sitting on the upper level lined with green mats. Kyoshi recognized four of the members present. Two of them were teachers to the girls of the village, one was her present guardian and guardian to the other orphans, and one was a well-reputed earthbending master from Ba Sing Se. The last person sitting was a stranger to Kyoshi, a gray-haired woman in a strikingly bright orange robe.

Kyoshi kneeled on the green cushion placed in front of her and bowed in deep reverence to her elders. She waited for them to speak before opening her mouth.

"Today is your sixteenth birthday. Much fortune smiles upon you, young Kyoshi," her master complimented her.

"Thank you for your kind words. But if fortune smiles upon me then I'm asking for no more sweet dumplings to be offered in my name. I can't afford to grow another six inches by summer.

The stringent lady coughed into her fist but the others chuckled in good nature from Kyoshi's comment.

"Do you know why we have summoned you here, Kyoshi?" she asked.

"In all honesty, no. I was guessing of some kind of news—you have an assignment for me that requires earthbending combat. Or you have an arranged marriage in mind."

"Marriage? Oh no, something far more important," the Ba Sing Se ambassador said as he waved his hands in font of him.

"Something more important than marriage? I can hardly believe it," Kyoshi replied.

"You know that the nations must live in harmony and peace. That is the proper way of our world for thousands of years," the woman began.

She nodded respectfully.

"But there come times when some nations become more powerful than others. They may attack out of revenge or greed while other times blindness hatred misguides them into hurting others. Sometimes full-scale wars break out destroying forests, homes, and countless lives. The balance of the world becomes shaken. Have you heard of what happens when such a disaster occurs?"

"I have heard, thanks to your history lessons," she acknowledged one of her teachers with a slight nod. "Sometimes warriors are called upon to stop the oncoming armies."

"Or?"

"Or…." Kyoshi paused. "The Avatar, the reincarnated Master of Four Elements, would use his or her given powers to restore that balance to the world."

"Correct. If you recall, Kyoshi, the Avatar's lifecycle echoes in the perfection of nature. As the four seasons come and go, the different origins of the Avatar rise and fall. The Avatar previous to our time was the mighty waterbender Kuruk, may his name be remembered with grace. His element of water parallels winter. Now we are in the time of spring."

Kyoshi felt something energetic stir in her ribs. This indeed was going to be something incredible, like watching a mother give birth to her first child. Or gathering in the first harvest of fresh tender wheat stalks. Something that made her feel more alive and powerful than ever.

"What does the cycle of the Avatar have to do with me?"

"Do you remember your tapestries?" he asked shrewdly.

"Of course. Which girl wouldn't be thrilled to start spinning at the age of twelve? I remember how privileged it was when we all went down to the market to pick out our own strands for our tapestries," Kyoshi remembered longingly.

The elderly man waved a hand and his attendants spread out several spun mats on the floor. Most girls had spun tapestries in shades of green, brown, and gold that were in the shapes of boxes or circles. But Kyoshi recognized her own tapestry at once because it stood out in stark contrast to the others. She had woven traditional green stripes at first on the top of the tapestry but below it she had woven in spiraling shades of power blue. Intricate streaks of white thread followed next before pale yellow triangles burst in and finally bright orange threads wove their way into bold red fabric spiked with gold tips.

"Why did you weave this?" he demanded.

Kyoshi scrutinized her own tapestry. She closed her eyes and watched the colors dance in her mind like flowers blowing in the wind.

"I just felt that there was more color in the world than green and yellow," she confessed. "We wouldn't survive the frigid winter without the help of the Fire Nation. Or the aid of the Water Tribes during a drought. Even the wisdom of the Air Nomads gives us comfort and consolation when we need it the most."

"So…your tapestry reflects your emotions towards all of the nations," he mused aloud.

"Yes, master. Looking back, I believe it did."

He held up the tapestry with both hands.

"Do you know why you chose to use so many colors in such an intricate design? It is because in your past lives you also combined the powers of the four nations into one single harmonious purpose."

"I? _My_ past lives? Wait a minute," Kyoshi paused. "Is this some joke that Shula has been pulling on me? I know he and the girls love to play games on birthdays."

"It is not a game, Kyoshi. You are the Avatar."

She almost fell off the cushion she was sitting on.

The orange-clad woman rose to her feet. "You have every right to be shocked, my dear."

"I'm more relieved than shocked." Kyoshi slapped a palm to her forehead. "_That _would explain my height."

"Your height, despite what you think, is truly a blessing," her guardian said. "People are hesitant to believe that the Avatar is a woman because so many previous Avatar were men. But your great stature will prove otherwise."

Kyoshi frowned in slight concern. "I don't want to become a bully just because I'm a woman. And if I _am_ the Avatar then it doesn't give me a right to abuse my abilities."

The airbending nomad was moved by the sincere honest words of the Avatar. She was certainly capable of doing much and from what her teachers had told her about the student's earthbending abilities, Kyoshi's potential was overwhelming.

"You have a great love for your people, don't you Kyoshi?" she asked the girl.

Kyoshi's face softened. "I do. My parents perished when I was very young. The children in this village are the companions I grew up with. They are all my brothers and sisters."

"Then you would defend them if they were in danger?"

Kyoshi rose to her feet and struck a fist against her chest, right above her heart. "I would give my life to save my friends. But first I would fight with honor to the death."

He raised a hand. "We have no need for the Avatar to perish so soon."

"Then I want to help. Please tell me what I must do as it is befitting for the Avatar. I will embrace my responsibilities willingly," Kyoshi promised them.

"In order to help the other nations, you must train in the ways of the four elements until you have mastered each and every one of them. In one month from now you will begin with the art of waterbending."

Waterbending! Kyoshi gasped with awe. It was such a delicate and graceful style of bending--could she truly master it? The thought of her being able to channel the flow and energy of water like the waterbenders that had performed for them six years ago in the market was difficult to imagine.

But if what the lessons said were true then the Avatar was blessed with the ability to understand each element and its distinct style. Kyoshi would not fail. She was determined to learn and succeed. No longer would her duties lie in one simple village of the Earth Kingdom. The entire world would be resting on her mighty shoulders. She would hold it up and in her heart with all of her power.

A-A-A-A

_Four weeks later in the South Pole:_

Her waterbending teacher was a tiny scrap of a woman no more than four feet tall. She had round cheeks and a knot of chestnut hair on the top of her head. Kyoshi thought she looked like a fat little squirrel, especially up against her _very_ tall student. Side by side, teacher and student looked like two circus performers.

"Widen your stance," she instructed Kyoshi. The girl took a position. The woman waddled over and nudged Kyoshi's right knee a bit further left.

"Waterbending is not about splashing your opponent to death," she began. Kyoshi stifled a giggle.

"It is about your own stamina more than strength."

"Stamina over strength," Kyoshi repeated.

"Some have doubts about the art of waterbending, claiming it to be 'weaker' than the more 'powerful' elements such as earth and fire. They won't bother learning it at all."

"_I_ want to learn," Kyoshi insisted. "It's my duty, isn't it?"

"Some people run from their duty. But as the rivers all flow into the ocean; we all flow back towards our responsibilities."

"Than I will not fight the current," Kyoshi declared.

Her teacher channeled a stream of water towards Kyoshi. Remembering her form, Kyoshi drew out her right hand with grace and poise. A perfect bubble of water hovered above it.

"I did it!" she declared.

The bubble popped and splashed water all over her face.

The woman chuckled softly. "It appears that you need a bit of practice, my dear. But I know that you will get it right very soon."

A-A-A-

_**Nine years later:**_

"She's back! She's back!" Rikku yelled at the top of his lungs. He may not have been a skinny little boy anymore—now he was almost eighteen and a successful apprentice--but the sight of her brought back the same thrilling memories. It was her; he just knew she had come back!!

He grabbed a mallet and began to ring the local gong as hard as he could. The throbbing sound of vibrations echoing across the valley brought people out of their homes and running down the streets.

"What's all the fuss? What's going on?" they asked one another.

"KYOSHI'S BACK!!" he shouted, cupping his hands over his mouth. Everyone crowded into the square to see the tall figure coming towards them.

"Oh my..."

Rikku had to crane his neck to look up to the woman who had entered their village. Kyoshi's skin was browned by the sun, a generous smattering of freckles spread across the bridge of her slender nose. She was almost eight feet tall now. Her hair had bronze streaks in it from the healthy shine of the sun. She was longer a girl of sixteen but a fully mature woman of twenty five. Moreover, she was the Avatar. Years of traveling and lessons had honed her into the newest incarnation of the sacred descendant that would protect their world from oncoming threats.

But he noticed the familiar twinkle in her eyes and knew it was the same Kyoshi that they all loved.

A handsome feast had been laid out in the meeting hall with friends far and wide coming to pay tribute to the Avatar. She toasted to the visitors with grace and poise until most of the people had left and she was able to retire into a smaller room off the side along with her old friends. Most of them had been small children when she left but now they were teenagers and young adults. Nevertheless, they all crowded around Kyoshi eagerly and begged to hear her stories.

"I have spent my time training and mastering the elements with different instructors," she informed them. "The work was sometimes hard, often challenging and difficult. But always full of such spiritual meaning and life that I was able to rise every day and cherish the task at hand."

"Where did you go, Kyoshi? Who did you meet?" Nana asked.

"I traveled all the way to Wuhan," she began. "The people of the Fire Nation have very refined manners and I felt out of place at first, so clumsy among their delicate surroundings. But my host, Lord Horai, treated me with great respect."

"Of course he did! You're the Avatar!" a little girl pointed out.

"Oh of course, I forgot. Silly me!" Kyoshi smirked. They giggled merrily.

"Lord Horai had had prepared special mats for me to sit on and a large bed lined with goose feathers, perfect for my size. And they had plenty of roast duck so as long as I ate politely, they always offered me more."

"Did you really learn firebending?" Neko gasped.

"Lean it? I did it!" Kyoshi declared. She drew out a cupped hand and the children watched a spiral of gold and crimson flames appear in Kyoshi's palm, flickering with animation.

"Oooooh!!" they all gasped. No one had ever seen firebending up so close before.

"Careful, it's still very dangerous," Kyoshi cautioned the children. She closed her hand to extinguish the fire. "I had to spend two months just meditation and breathing right before they let me do anything with sparks."

"What else did you learn?"

"The craftsmen of the Fire Nation are smolders. They are excellent with metals and make some of the finest jewelry I've ever seen. I asked them for a token of friendship and they gave me this."

Kyoshi reached into a bag and drew out what looked like a slim rod of gold. When she flicked it, the gold flashed out and extended like the feathers of a peacock to reveal a magnificent fan. But it was not for dress up, Kyoshi warned them. The seemingly pretty accessory was to be used only used for self defense in a time of danger. She allowed them to pass the fan around as long as they didn't cut their fingers on the razor sharp edges.

On and on, Kyoshi filled their heads with stories about her journeys. She told them about kite flying races and summer festivals. She told them about sky bisons and air temples full of orange-robed monks that lived in four different temples. She told them about waterbending scrolls, gliders, and dragons that puffed smoke from their mouths. For many hours, they starred wide-eyed at Avatar Kyoshi, listening to her tales about the wonders of airbending, waterbending, and firebending.

When the children had to go home for bed, her old master approached her with a deep bow.

"Avatar Kyoshi, we are honored that you have graced us with your presence," he said humbly.

"Please do not bow to me. It is I who should be thanking you for raising me in such a good place," she answered him.

"The joy is mine. I hope you will have an easy and restful vacation back in your hometown village."

"A vacation?" Kyoshi's eyebrows arched up in astonishment. "I want to stay here."

"But, your duties, your responsibilities…surely the Avatar would prefer to live in a more suitable environment than these humble dwellings."

"My duties remain firm like the roots of an oak tree. I admit that my adventures were glorious but there is no other place on earth I would like to call my home except here."

He knew that her resolve could not be shaken. Just as a mother returns to her child, Kyoshi wanted to come back home to her village.

"Should my abilities be needed, I will go back out into the world and use them. In the meantime, I must request the use of some trees to build a dojo."

"A dojo?" he asked.

"Indeed. I want to build one and teach the other girls. They have not been trained in the art of war as often as the boys and I want them to learn to protect themselves."

He furrowed his eyebrows.

"You disapprove?" she asked.

"Far be it for me to say anything against the Avatar. I am glad that you want to teach but my concern is for the girls that cannot earthbend."

"Fear not, my master," Kyoshi assured him. "My time among the nations has taught me that it takes more than harnessing raw elements to win a fight. Stealth, stamina, and skill are just as necessary."

She extended one of her fans and held it like a weapon. "My firebending master told me, '_a flame loses nothing by kindling another wick'_. I can give these women a gift that they can pass down to their daughters and their daughter's daughters: the gift of martial arts."

He nodded in deep satisfaction. "Your words are wise and just, Avatar Kyoshi. Starting tomorrow we will begin building a dojo for the girls to come and learn under you."

A-A-A

**Two years later:**

"I must speak with the Avatar!" he shouted.

The dojo was a blur of green robes and gold fans moving in perfect choreography. Nineteen girls, all clad in identical uniforms created specially by Kyoshi, had been vigorously training under their beloved teacher when they heard someone shouting.

"Let me in! The Avatar must see me!"

Two of the girls ran outside while Kyoshi straightened up. She heard several more yells and a strange rumbling sound. Then the girls came back in and slammed the doors shut, all the while whispering madly to each other.

"What's all the fuss?" she asked.

They just blushed and shook their heads back and forth.

"It's just a farmer who's standing outside and he's come on his flying boar," one of her girls snorted. The others began to murmur like chattering birds.

A stern look from Kyoshi's eyes caused the girl to stop their rude behavior. She coughed into her fist. "He says it's very important."

"Let him in," she declared.

"You are the Avatar! What right does a commoner like him have in barging in our private lessons?" a girl demanded.

"Enough!" Kyoshi commanded them. "He has as much right to be here as the rest of you."

"Sifu Kyoshi," one girl whispered softly. "He just a peasant."

"And I was just a simple village girl before turning sixteen." She frowned in disproval. "Seeing as you are all so hesitant to giving respect to others, I will go out and greet him myself."

They couldn't believe it. The Avatar herself would go out and meet this farmer! They bowed their heads and humbled shame from her chastising words. But Kyoshi parted the paper doors to their dojo and stepped out onto the porch.

The stranger wore dusty traveling clothes and had a weather-beaten face. As they said, he was sitting atop a massive flying boar with the reigns in his hands. No sooner had he dismounted when the boar began to snort and paw the ground with his hooves impatiently.

"Quan! Out of respect for the Avatar!" he ordered the flying boar. The massive beast named Quan grunted resentfully but he managed to calm down. His master patted the boar on the snout before stepping closer to the dojo. He prostrated himself on the ground before Kyoshi.

"Avatar Kyoshi, I humbly beg forgiveness for my haste and manner of appearance but I come to you with urgent news from the west."

"No forgiveness is needed. You are welcome here, good stranger," she assured him. "But before you inform me of this news please me know who you are."

"My name is Bei Fong. I have come to warn you that Chin the Conqueror is expanding his army all the way to the Eastern Sea. He intends to dominate the entire Earth Kingdom."

Kyoshi's eyes were already lined in thick black paint as part of her war makeup. Now they turned down like two ebony daggers from Bei Fong's words. She had heard of Chin before. Rumors had leaked in about the fat pompous man who crushed all his enemies with boulders before raiding their towns. His army was increasing each month and even the Fire Nation was concerned that they would be stamped out by the dreaded tyrant known as Chin the Conqueror.

"How far away is Chin?"

"He has reached more than halfway to Ba Sing Se. He is coming towards your home, ready to slaughter your people!!"

His words pierced Kyoshi like a razor sharp katana. Her face became a stern mask of frigid beauty and wrath. She would not hide in her safe little haven with her students any longer. Now was the time for the Avatar to come out and restore the balance that Chin had violated.

The girls in the doorway began chitterling again nervously. "Avatar Kyoshi, please do no try to fight Chin!" one of them begged. "He is a foolish man to be conquering these villages like his pawns. Let someone else assassinate him along the way."

"He is evil and cruel. I will not allow Chin to pass through any more villages," she said.

"But he will come to our home next!" another shrieked.

"Then let him come," Kyoshi replied coldly. "It is the donkey that walks up to its master, not the other way around. If Chin dares to fight me, I accept his challenge."

"He dares you on because he does not think you will fight him. His messengers have told me so," Bei Fong insisted. "Avatar Kyoshi, what should I tell them?"

"I will fight Chin at dusk tomorrow. Tell him that he may come with his army if he wishes. But it will only add to his downfall."

Bei Fong nodded in approval. He mounted back onto the flying boar and tugged the beast until it flapped its wings and flew off into the sky.

Her students look on their teacher in fright. Kyoshi was not smiling anymore.

"You should all go home now," she ordered them. "I must prepare for battle."

A-A-A-A

She spent the entire next day in the shrine, absorbed in deep mediation. Under the dimmed lights of the candles Kyoshi remained perfectly poised, not even lifting a finger or batting an eyelash for hours.

Concentrate. Breath. Focus. Her mind was a weapon that she had to hone like a sharp sword, her mentors had taught her. She had done this before in a thousand lifetimes. Now she had to do it again.

"_Even the Avatar cannot take a life so carelessly. But if the world remains unbalanced, I must do whatever is necessary to restore that balance," _Kyoshi thought to herself.

The Avatar was not a king or emperor. He or she was the humble vessel, the source of human potential to tap into all four elements. To kill, even by accident, was a terrible thing to do. A life taken could never be restored the same way as before. Now it was Kyoshi's turn to be the life-guide who would maneuver the world along the steady course. This was more than protecting a handful of children or training adolescent girls. It was far more important than she had ever imagined.

"_I do not wish to dishonor the spirits of the Avatar lives before me. Give me strength in battle to conquer my enemy," _she prayed.

At last, Kyoshi rose from her sitting position and donned her warrior robes. She covered her face in white powder before painting her lips in pomegranate-red and brushing lines of pink under her eyebrows. She clasped the metal fans within her hands and slid them down into her belt.

It was time for the battle to begin.

People had already been waiting for hours on the peninsula. The imposing armies stood poised in perfect formation like planted squares of a field. But there were no sweet blades of grass drifting in the faint wind, no flowers blossoming along the rocky trail. The air was stirring with restless tension like swirling dust. Bay waters lapped back and forth impatiently. The barren field that rested between sloping mountains was willing to be the battle grounds for a horrific oncoming fight.

Eyes were wide in fear as they saw the tall woman clad in a green and gold kimono coming towards them. With her gray eyes flashing like lightning and her bright red mouth as straight as a blade, she looked fierce as any samurai warrior. But inside, Kyoshi thought of how to defeat this tyrant without giving into vanity or misplaced anger. Her firebending master had disciplined her in the manner of channeling ones emotions into a higher purpose.

"_Never fight angry,"_ he had cautioned her in his most severe tone. "_When all you bring to the fight is anger then you have already lost_."

They watched Kyoshi stand on the other side of the field, a strong wind tugging at the edge of her kimono like a spirit encouraging her on. The burly bearded man in a huge gold crown glared at her. Others shuddered when they recognized it was Chin the Conqueror. But Kyoshi stood tall and erect as a cedar tree. Her icy-white face and crimson-lined eyes gave her the look of a demon more than a woman.

"Chin, you have desecrated the lands with the spilled blood of your victims. I will not allow you to advance any further." Kyoshi's voice rang out like a steady bell across the valley.

He only laughed at her like a wild mule-goat braying at its master. "Is this what your puny village sends me? A an oversized girl against my entire army?" Chin mocked.

She felt the wrath beginning to flare within her. It would not be easy to tame. "I am no mere girl, Chin. I am Avatar Kyoshi!!" she announced.

"Bah! You are an idiotic woman and a fool. I fear you not," Chin sneered. "I will take your village and then go on to ravage Ba Sing Se!"

Kyoshi's hands curled up into tight fists of hatred. She wanted to slash his limbs off with streaks of fire but a curbed conscience controlled her temper. The whistling air blew through her hair like a calming voice in her memories. She could hear the mystical words of the monks calling back to her, gently subduing her anger.

"_There can be no wave without a wind."_

Wind! That was it! Kyoshi knew how to prove herself without striking Chin at all.

Kyoshi altered her position into the Bagua maneuver. With a swift snatch of her fans in a swirling wind, she blew as hard as she could. Chin's clothes were stripped off his body leaving him in his undergarments and gold crown.

"HA HA HA!!" the villagers laughed aloud. The tyrant was now the laughing stock of the world! He was humiliated in front of the Avatar!!

The sound of roaring laughter from the townspeople was the only fuel that Kyoshi needed to stoke her own fire. The mockery of her enemy and the protection of her people was the very source of energy that flowed through her spirit.

She could feel the life of the other Avatars channeling their way through her body.

_Kyoshi, we will help you and the people you love._

Her eyes opened from the trance and everyone gasped. The Avatar State caused slits of white fire to gleam from Kyoshi's sockets.

"What is wrong with her?" Rikku asked tearfully.

His elder brother put a hand on his shoulder. "It is nothing wrong. Avatar Kyoshi has the spirit of all of her past lives aiding her."

Kyoshi's mouth opened to speak but her words made everyone tremble in fear.It sounded like the wrath of a thousand people had descended upon Kyoshi and moved their words through her lips.

"**_You will no longer be known as Chin the Conqueror, but Chin the Defeated," _**she thundered.

She slashed the ground with her gold fans until it shook like a trembling earthquake. Chin's armies shuddered when they saw the Avatar's powerful movements and it took all of their courage not to flee. They watched a narrow deep canyon rise up before Kyoshi's feet. She slammed her golden fans into the ground and hot flames spurted up from the canyon, licking the air before her.

Kyoshi took one last stance. Gusts of wind blew in from the storm clouds swirling around them, almost pounding their heads out. She continued on, fanning the air madly until they saw the earth nudging under her feet. The crack in the ground before her widened until a valley lay before front of Kyoshi, the gap increasing with every passing second.

"The land is moving!" Rikku cried out. He could feel the ground under him shaking madly. There was a final shudder followed by a deafening cracking sound. The peninsula was breaking away from the mainland!!

The villagers watched the earth around them start to move further and further back, towards the ocean and away from Chin. The oncoming army could not hurt them now; they were floating off into the water like a free sailboat.

Kyoshi caught a glimpse of Chin standing on the cliff—stripped of his clothing and honor. He had been watching the entire miracle with some look of frozen horror on his face until now. Suddenly, Chin realized he had lost and he let out a furious roar that echoed across the water. Standing on the shaky cliff, he was unaware of the stones that were already trembling under his feet.

With a last shudder, the stones gave way and plunged into the bay, taking Chin along with them. His screams followed him all the way down the cliff and into his watery grave.

Chin the Conqueror was dead.

Everyone noticed that they now stood upon an island that was surrounded by the lapping azure waters of the ocean. They were safe from all invaders. A few peals of yellow light had finally burst out from the swirling clouds like rays of hope that shined down upon the people. They all turned towards their savior.

"Kyoshi!" Nana cried out. They all ran to her side.

The Avatar sheathed her mighty fans. Her eyes no longer blazed with white fire but her face was still solemn.

"We are safe," she declared at last. A single tear glistened like a shimmering pearl on the edge of her eye. "We are free."

"Hooray for Avatar Kyoshi! Hooray for saving us!" everyone cheered.

She only bowed her head towards them discreetly. "It was not I that saved you today. Your love, your trust, and your faith in me gave me the courage to act accordingly." Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke.

"We are free from Chin the Defeated. From now on we will live in peace and harmony on this island."

"Then it will be called Kyoshi Island in your honor," her master insisted.

Kyoshi clapped her massive hands together several times. "Friends, we are all forgetting someone else who contributed to our victory. Where is Bei Fong?"

The farmer meekly came forward with a sheepish look on his face. Kyoshi's attack that day left him with a mixture of fear and awe for the Avatar. But when he bowed to her, Kyoshi's voice melted back into the kind warmth that they had often heard her use before.

"Bei Fong, you took it upon yourself to warn us of this impending doom," she declared. "Accept this gift and be blessed."

Kyoshi spread her arms apart and the earth between them broke in two. Bei Fong gasped when he saw the sparkling shimmer at their feet. Chunks of gold rocks flashed in the brightness of the sun and several precious stones of emerald and jade blazed out, glowing like green fire. Kyoshi summoned the treasure of gold and gems to spread out before the humble farmer for his taking.

Bei Fong threw himself at her feet. "Avatar Kyoshi, I am unworthy to accept such a generous treasure from you!"

"Take it and be blessed," she insisted. "The name Bei Fong will bring wealth and honor to your family for many generations. And because you were the one who came to warn us of the impending danger, your family symbol shall be that of the flying boar."

"My thanks to you, Avatar Kyoshi," he praised her.

Kyoshi lifted her head up to the clear blue sky. She closed her eyes and exhaled softly. "I see the spirit of a great earthbender will come from your bloodline. She will posses a gift unlike any other before her."

"It is my duty, as that of my offspring, to aid the Avatar whenever needed," Bei Fong promised her.

"Your words are true, Bei Fong. For I see that someday, one of your children will aid the Avatar in a time of need and prove to be a great ally and friend."

Thus Bei Fong lived out the rest of his years in peace and prosperity. His family flourished, becoming as many as the grains of sand and shining like the stars in the sky. Kyoshi Island became a safe haven for wandering travelers who sought the great wisdom and advice of Avatar Kyoshi herself. If she was not assisting others in need then she was teaching her faithful students the sacred arts to be passed down for future generations.

Truth and serenity were reborn throughout the world like the pink lotus blossoms budding on the trees with the coming of spring.

O-O-O-O-O-O

_Avatar Kyoshi lived with grace and honor for two hundred and thiry years. After she died, the people of her island hewed a massive marble stone into her liking and set it in the center of the village as a tribute to her. Her garments and weapons were preserved in a shrine for safekeeping. They wept for thirty days until the rains brought soothing comfort to her children._

_The spirit of the Avatar passed on until the birth of Roku, eldest son to Lord Daizo. During the Summer Solstice, Roku crossed over into the Spirit World and was informed of his duty by Kyoshi. He honed his skills as a master firebender until he became Avatar Roku._

_This ends the Scroll of the Earth Kingdom as told by Suki of Kyoshi Island and written down by Sokka, the Blue Warrior of the Southern Water Tribe. _


End file.
